Folding device for envelop, paper-bag, and like machines.



I M. WESCHER & R. E. FISCHER. I FOLDING DEVICE FOR ENVELOP, PAPER BAG, AND LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 29, 1908 1,15 Patented Aug. 17, 1915,

v v 7% JAM a, y wi/ mwmkzgigj EDSTATESTATENT OFFICE- MAX WESCHER AND ROBERT ERNST FISCHER, F ELBERFELID, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED STATES ENVELOPE COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FOLDING- DEVICE FOR ENVELOP, PAPER-BAG, AND LIKE MACHINES.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

Application filed September 29, 1908. Serial No. 455,382.

I To all whom; it may concern Rhine, German Empire, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Devices for Envelop, Paper-Bag, and like Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in folding devices for envelop, paper bagand like machines, in which the folding plate does not oscillate around a hinge but swings around its lower edge. This lower edge forms the axis of the oscillation of the plate.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide means for preventing the folding plate or flap fromfollowing the downward movement of the bed-plate with which the foldingflap cooperates during the folding operation; or, difl'erently stated, to provide means for maintaining the folding flap in a certain predetermined position or plane when the bed-plate, with which it is associated, has been moved downward to discharge the folded envelop, bag or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide yielding means for causing the folding flap toact upon the bed-plate with a yielding pressure to insure a proper folding and creasing of the material acted upon.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and the novel features thereof. are pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the-drawing Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the operating gear of a folding plate in a machine of the kind above referred to. The parts in Fig. 1 are shown in the position occupied before the folding of the paper sheets. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in the position occupied after the folding is completed. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing two folding plates and the downwardly movable bed plate.

In carrying the invention into effect according to the form illustrated a is the bed plate which receives the paper after the edges have been turned at right angles to the body'part in the ordinary way by means of a plunger. Arranged around this bed plate there are the'folding flaps I), only one of which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings although two flaps are shown in Fig. 3. The flaps b are carried by parallel links f and g which are pivoted to theflaps at d and e and to a lever l at k and z', the lever Z being pivoted about the bracket 70. The lower link '9 in the form illustrated'is extendedrearwardly and connects to a lever 0 pivoted about the axis 1. The eye'on the end of the lever g isfprovided with an oval slot p engaging a pin m on the lever 0 which constitutes a lost-motion connection between the said, levers g and o. Fixed to any convenient part of the machine there is a spring 9 which as shown in Fig.2, bears upon a roller 1' on the lower link y when the flap b is moved into the closing 0- sition. This spring serves-t0 bring the ap down upon the bed plate with a firm yielding pressure even though there should be some wear in the jointed parts of the parallel links, and a proper folding and creasing of the material acted upon is thus secured.

The operation of this device is as follows: The axis k or n is by any suitable mechanism oscillated and thereby the levers l and 0 move in unison owing to their connection by the link g. The employment of the parallel link 7 connected tothe lever Z at a greater radius than the link 9 causes the flap b tooscillate about the lower edge I) as axis. After completion .of the folding the bed plate ais moved'downward from the flaps b for the purpose of ejecting the envelop. This downward motion may be effected b the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3, whic consists of a cam 10 carried on a rotatable shaft 00. Against this cam there bearsa roller 02 mounted on a pivoted lever t to which the bed plate or table a is fixed. An objection hitherto present was that the flap b which in the upward position of the table or bed plate a bears with its lower side on the said table, had 'the tendency to follow the first part of the downward motion of the and after a few envelops have so gathered on the bed plate'a the forcible upward movement of the plate a may cause damage by the accumulated envelops engaging with the bed plate this causes the folding flap b to rise above the position shown in Fig. -1 and this rising is permitted by theoval slot p on the link 9. In order however to press the flap b with the necessary firm pressure against the paper on the bed plate a the spring 9 is arranged to bear on the roller or projection?- on the lever g. If desired the plate .9 on which the brackets m and 7c are mounted, may be arranged in any well known manner to slide on a suitable frame for the purpose of adjusting the folding device to any size of envelop or paper bag which it is desired to produce. For instance as shown in Fig. 3 the plate 8 may be adjustably mounted upon a plate to being secured to the latter by a screw bolt w passing through a-slot 4; shown in dotted lines in the plate 8. By this means the point of rest Z) of the folding flap b on the table a may be varied. c

We claim v 1. In a folding device for use in machines for making paper envelops, paper-bags and the like, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap, parallel link gear for oscillating said flap about one ofits' edges as axis, and means forpreventing said flap from following the downward motion of the bed-plate, comprising an extension on one of the parallel links and a pivoted lever with which said extension engages.

2. In a folding device for use in machines for making envelops, paper-bags and the like, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap adapted to rest, when in its upright position, with:

one of its edges upon the bed-plate, means for adjusting the position of said folding flap upon the bed-plate, means for oscillating said flap around its supporting edge as axis, and means for preventing said folding flap from following the downward movement of the bed-plate and at the same time allowing the upward movement of the folding flap.

3. In a folding device for use in machines for making envelo'ps, paper-bags and the like, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap, paral lel link gear for oscillating said flap around one of its edges as axis, and means for preventing said flap from'following the downward motion of the bed-plate while allowing. upward motion of the flap, comprising an extnsionon one of the links of the parallel link-gear and a pivotedlever with which said extension engages, said extension and pivoted lever being connected by apin and slot joint.' V

4; In a folding device for use in machines for making envelops, paper-bags .and the like, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap adapted to rest, when in its upright position, with one of its edges upon the bed-plate, means for determining the position of the folding flap upon the bed-plate, means for oscillating said fiap around its supporting-edge as axis, means for preventing said edge of the flap from following the downward. movement of the bed-plate while at the same time allowing motion of the folding flap, and means coming into operation in the closed position of the folding flap for pressing said flap against the bed-plate.

5. In a folding device for use in machines for making envelops, paper-bags and the like, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap, an OS- cillating lever, two parallel links connecting said lever to said flap, an extension on one of said parallel links, a pivoted lever with which said extension engages, a pin on said lever engaging an oval slot in the extension, a spring carried by a frame part of the machine and a roller on one of the parallel links, said roller being adapted to engage with the spring when the flapis moved into its closing position, substantially as described.

6.. In a folding mechanism of the character described, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap, parallel links for oscillatingsaid flap about one of its edges as axis, and means for preventing said flap from following the downward motion of the bed-plate, comprising an extension on one of the parallel links, and a device with which said extension engages for maintaining a right-line movement of the said parallel links.

7. In a folding mechanism of the character described, thev combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap, parallel links for oscillating said flap around one of its edges as axis, and means for preventing said flap from following the downward motion of) the bed-plate while allowing upward motion of the flap, comprising an extension on one of the parallel links, and a pivoted lever with which said extension engages, said extension and lever having a lost-motion connection one with the other.

8. In a folding mechanism of the characaxis, means for operating said flap to bring the face thereof down upon the bed-plate during the folding operation, and means for maintaining the folding flap in a predetermined plane and against downward movement when the bed plate is lowered.

9. In a folding device for use in machines for making paper envelops, paperbags and the like, the combination with a folding-flap, parallel link gearing for oscillating said flap, means for preventing downward motion of said flap beyond that imparted by the normal oscillation thereof, comprising an extension of one of the parallel links and a movement-limiting device engaging such extension;

10. In folding mechanism of the character described, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap,

means for oscillating said flap around one.

of its edges as axis, said axis lying in the plane of the bed-plate when in its upper position, means for preventing said edge of the folding flap from following the downward movement of the bed-plate during oscillation of the folding flap, and normally inactive yielding means coming into operation when the flap is in its pressing position for yieldingly pressing the same against the bed-plate.-.

11. In folding mechanism of the character described, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding-flap,

parallel links for oscillating said flap about one of its edges as axis, means for preventing said flap from following the downward motion of the bed-plate, and yielding means acting upon one of said links at a point adj acent its connection with the flap for causing the latter, when in its pressing position, to bearupon the bed-plate with a yielding pressure.

12. In folding mechanism of the character described, the combination with a downwardly movable bed-plate, of a folding flap adapted to be held, when in its upright position, with its lower edge above the bedplate, means for oscillating said flap around said lower edge as axis, and means for preventing the lower edge of the folding flap from moving below a predetermined plane.

13. In a folding mechanism of the character described, a bed plate, afolding flap co operating therewith, a spring arranged to apply a yielding pressure to said flap in its closed or pressing position, but normally inactive during the first part of the movement of said flap, and means for oscillating said flap and subjecting it to the action of said spring at the last part of the movement of said flap.

14. In-a folding mechanism of the class described, a bed plate, a folding flap cooperating therewith, an oscillating lever, a pair of parallel links pivotally connecting said. oscillating lever and said flap, and means normally inactive between said flap and said oscillating lever toogive a downward yielding pressure to one of said parallel links when said flap is in its closed or pressing position, with said pressure applied to said link against its pivotal connection, whereby any lost motion at its pivotal connection will be taken up. r

15. In a folding mechanism of the character described, a bed plate, a folding flap cooperating therewith, having its lower edge, when in a raised position, substantially in the plane of the supporting surface of the bed plate, means for oscillating said flap about an axis coincident with the corner formed by the lower edge and face of the flap, and means independent of the bed plate for maintaining the axis of said folding flap in the same plane when in its raised and closed. positions.

16. In a folding mechanism of the class described, a bed plate, a folding flap cooperating therewith, means for oscillating said folding flap about an axis substantially coincident With the upper surface of the bed plate, and means independent of the bed plate for maintaining the axis of said folding flap in the same plane when in its raised and closed positions.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

MAX WESCHER. ROBERT ERNST FISCHER.

Witnesses:

HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT. 

